Aithusa
by centreoftheselights
Summary: Merlin rescued a dragon egg and helped it hatch, but that's only the beginning. Someone has to raise Aithusa, and that duty falls to the last of the Dragon Lords...
1. Unexpected

"The white dragon bodes well for Albion, for you and Arthur, and the land you will build together."

Merlin couldn't believe it. After all that danger, he had succeeded in his mission. A new hope for the dragons. Aithusa.

"Care for him well, young warlock."

Wait, what?

"What do you mean, care for him well? Aren't you going to take him with you?"

"Do I look like his mother?" Kilgharrah asked. "Aithusa is still far to young to journey with me. You must care for him until he is able to fly."

"And how long will that be?"

"About a month."

A month?

"Well, I'm not his mother either." Merlin pointed out.

"You named him."

Merlin had a sinking feeling about this.

"Traditionally, a dragon mother would name her child, but when none existed the Dragon Lords would take her place and resume her duty caring for the young dragon."

One day, he was going to write down all of these stupid loopholes so that he never got caught out like this again.

"It is your heritage."

If Kilgharrah used the word 'destiny' then Merlin knew he was doomed.

"It is your destiny."

Fiddlesticks.

"But how am I meant to keep a dragon hidden in Camelot?" Merlin asked desperately.

"Oh, I am sure you will find a way. Even young dragons have quite powerful magics, although they may not always control them perfectly well."

Kilgharrah was enjoying this, Merlin could tell he was.

"Kilgharrah!"

"Kilgharrah!"

Merlin spun around. Aithusa looked very pleased with himself.

"Very good, young Aithusa."

"Aithusa!"

"It talks?" Merlin asked. "Of course it talks. How am I supposed to hide a talking dragon in a castle full of people who hate magic?"

"I would suggest some form of illusion, it will not harm him." Kilgharrah said. "Now, I should depart."

So very, very doomed.

"Oh, and Merlin? Good luck."

He could have sworn the dragon was smirking as he flew away.

* * *

><p>"What on earth -?" Gaius shook his head. "What have you done now?"<p>

"There may have been a slight problem with my plan…" Merlin admitted, trying to stop Aithusa, currently disguised as a puppy, from knocking over any of Gaius' phials.

"Please tell me," Gaius sighed. "That you simply happened to find a lost dog on your way home which has absolutely nothing to do with your plans earlier this evening."

"Gaius –"

"Gaius!" Aithusa yipped excitedly.

"My goodness! Merlin, for once in your life could you do things the simple way?"

"Well, okay." Merlin didn't know where to start. "This isn't a dog…"

"I know very well it's not a dog, Merlin." Gaius was glaring at him. "You left here not two hours ago with a dragon egg and now you have a talking puppy. Please tell me you did not hatch that egg."

There was no point denying it. Merlin removed the illusion, and Gaius frowned.

"I didn't know that –" Merlin protested.

"I told you, you have to think about the consequences of your actions. Did you not consider who would have to care for it?"

"Him," Merlin corrected. "His name is Aithusa."

"Aithusa!"

"He seems to like saying people's names," Merlin explained. "And – Kilgharrah said white dragons are unusual…"

"They are, and they were thought to be a good omen." Gaius took Aithusa out of Merlin's hands, peering at him carefully. Merlin tried not to grin as he noticed Gaius' expression soften. "You will need to take good care of him."

Gaius looked up and Merlin struggled to straighten his expression. "And if he gets into my cures the replacements are coming out of your wages."

"Absolutely," Merlin agreed. "Um, Gaius? Can you think of anything I can illusion him as? I can't seem to stop him talking when he hears people's names…"

"You're in luck," Gaius said. "I happen to know just the thing."

* * *

><p>"Merlin. What is that?"<p>

Merlin pretended to be surprised.

"It's a parrot."

Not technically true – it was Aithusa, illusioned into one of the bright, talkative birds that travelling circuses occasionally brought with them to Camelot.

Arthur was not impressed.

"I can see that it's a parrot, Merlin. Why is it on your shoulder?"

"Because it's mine!" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Well, for a while anyway. A friend asked me to look after him for a while."

Arthur sighed. "Well, for your friend's sake you'd better not let that bird make a mess in my room."

"Oh, he won't. Arthur's perfectly house-trained."

Well, he couldn't exactly call Aithusa a name in the Dragon Language, could he? He hadn't been able to resist.

"Arthur?" Both the King and the bird echoed the word at the same time.

"Well, he needed a name." Merlin tried not to smile.

"So you used _mine_?"

"What else would I call something that talks nonsense all the time?"

Arthur grinned. "You could have called it Merlin. Or Clotpole."

"Clotpole!" Aithusa echoed.

Arthur laughed. "You know what, Merlin, keep the bird. You never know, you might actually learn something from it."


	2. Adorable

"Who's a handsome boy, then?"

"Well, I don't like to brag –"

Gwen swatted Merlin on the arm. "I meant Arthur, and you know it. How long are you looking after him for?"

"At least until he learns to dress himself –"

Another swat.

"The _bird_ Arthur."

Merlin grinned. "About a month. Do you know what else he can do?"

"What?"

"He can talk," Merlin smiled. "He likes names. Listen – Gwen."

Aithusa was resolutely silent.

"Gwen." Merlin repeated, to no avail. "_Gwen_."

He lifted the bird up and looked him in the eye, wondering why he had fallen silent.

"Come on, Arthur. I thought you liked Guinevere."

"Guinevere!" Aithusa cawed, so loudly that Merlin nearly dropped him.

Gwen laughed. "You know my proper name, don't you? Arthur has better manners than you, Merlin."

"Well, if he doesn't want me to drop him then he'd better have them _quieter_ next time."

"Why would a bird care about being dropped? He'd just fly away."

Oops. Explanation needed. Think fast.

Well, honesty is the best policy.

"He can't fly yet. He's too young."

"Oh no!" Gwen gave Aithusa a look of sympathy. "Poor thing. Stuck with Merlin all day."

"Hey!"

"Don't worry Arthur," she told the bird. "You'll get to fly soon. I promise."

Gwen ran a finger over Aithusa's head. He nuzzled against her, and she sighed.

"He is just adorable."

If Gwen thought the parrot version of Aithusa was so adorable, Merlin briefly wondered how she would react to his dragon form. This bird was nothing in comparison to that – she'd probably explode at the sheer cuteness. Merlin could feel a soppy grin on his face just at the thought of it.

Except, of course, Aithusa was a dragon.

If Gwen knew what he really was, she would be terrified.

* * *

><p>"I'm not sure this is a good idea."<p>

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "I'm quite sure it isn't then, but that's never stopped you before. What particular idea are we talking about?"

"Aithusa." (Aithusa!) "I'm not sure that I should raise him around all these people. He's learning to trust humans, but as soon as he's in dragon form everyone he meets will want to kill him."

"Well Merlin, I'm glad to see you're taking your responsibility seriously, but I'm not sure you have any alternative. Aithusa needs you, and so does Camelot. I'm afraid you have no choice but to let the two interact."

"But –"

"Merlin," Gaius said sternly. "What Aithusa learns from you and me and the people of Camelot may be the foundation of human-dragon relations for thousands of years."

"Or it could be the death of him." Merlin couldn't stop imagining it. There were too many things that could go wrong.

"You are teaching him that not all humans are evil," Gaius reassured him. "Nowadays, it is more important than ever that we all remember that. As for teaching Camelot the same of dragons – that is a task for another day."

A Dragon Lord's work is never done, Merlin reminded himself.

But this was one part of his destiny that he looked forward to achieving.

* * *

><p>Merlin was very tired by the time he finally got a chance to sleep. The night before, he had barely had time for a nap between arriving with Aithusa and having to go and wake up Arthur.<p>

Even after the day's work was done, he had needed to find food for Aithusa – a mystery in itself, but he had wolfed down chicken when offered it, with such vigour that Merlin was glad he had removed the illusion before watching Aithusa eat a 'fellow bird' – and arrange somewhere for the dragonlet to live.

Fortunately, although Aithusa still had not spoken anything but names, he seemed intelligent enough to understand the concept of 'litter tray,' if a little reluctant to accept the idea of '_Merlin__'__s_ bed.'

By the time Merlin had finally got him to settle down, he fell asleep almost instantly.

And awoke, what felt like a moment later, to a loud crashing sound.

Aithusa was gone.

"Merlin!"

And Gaius didn't sound happy.

Gaius's rooms were a mess. Aithusa had clambered onto the benches, overturning bottles left and right. An enormous variety of powders and herbs were scattered across every table, and, in some cases, smoking slightly.

The culprit drooped in Gaius' grasp, staring woefully into Merlin's eyes.

"Out of my wages, I know." Merlin said before Gaius could even begin.

"And in future, I hope you've learned to lock him in at night."

"I will, I –" Something occurred to Merlin – "I _did_."

The pair of them exchanged a look of shock, while Aithusa continued the attempt to silently convey an air of total innocence.

"Dragons do have powerful magic, even the very young ones," Gaius admitted. "Perhaps you had better find some other way of keeping him in check."

"I will," Merlin promised. He didn't know how, but he would think of something.

Once he had slept.

As he took the guilty dragonlet from Gaius' hands, Aithusa let out a small burp of turquoise flame, narrowly missing Merlin's fingers.

"I see he got into my bluestone," Gaius said impassively, as he left the room. "I'll have to add that to the list."

Aithusa continued his doleful gaze.

"You're not fooling me," Merlin told him. "Come on. Time to sleep."

"Surely even dragons need to do that?"


	3. Infuriating

The next morning, Aithusa wouldn't settle down.

"Ouch!" Merlin pulled his hand sharply out of biting zone for the third time in under an hour. "Stop it! Behave!"

"Problem, Merlin?" Arthur called from behind the screen.

"Nothing." Merlin put Aithusa down on the table, out of reach of anything biteable.

"Then where is my other sock?"

Merlin looked around. The sock was nowhere to be seen.

Aithusa had been sat next to Arthur's clothes earlier.

"I think –" There was no way around it. "Arthur _might_ have eaten it."

He grabbed another pair out of the cupboard, and waved them at Arthur, who snatch them away, shaking his head.

"That's coming out of your wages, Merlin."

"I know," Merlin sighed, wondering how he was going to be able to afford to feed Aithusa at this rate.

By that afternoon, he wasn't even sure he would be able to afford to feed himself. Aithusa had eaten a dozen rolls from the kitchens, a bunch of flowers for the hall, half of the cook's apron, and –

"Merlin!"

"I'll pay for a new one!" he promised.

"A new what?" Gwen asked.

"Hasn't Arthur eaten anything of yours yet?" he sighed. "He's tried a bit of everything else in Camelot."

"Haven't you fed him?"

"I can't afford to feed him this much! I'll be paying people back for the next month."

Gwen frowned. "I'm sure he wouldn't bite things if he wasn't hungry. Come on."

She led boy and bird to the corridor outside the kitchens – Aithusa had been banned from entering – and emerged with a bowl full of seeds, which she placed in front of Aithusa. He attacked the offer of food vigourously.

"That's better, isn't it?"

"For now." Merlin glowered. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Arthur's looking for you – something about a hunting trip?"

Merlin gasped. "I forgot! We were meant to leave already. Come on –"

He made to pick up Aithusa, but Gwen shook her head.

"You can't take a bird hunting with you. Go. I'll look after Arthur until you get back."

"Thanks." Merlin grinned. "I owe you one."

* * *

><p>By the time Merlin arrived, Arthur was pretty annoyed with him – "But at least you didn't try to bring that stupid bird with you."<p>

They were only gone for a couple of hours, but Merlin could already feel himself relaxing. Keeping an eye on Aithusa all the time was so stressful – especially today. Two hours' break was precisely what he needed.

But it didn't last long.

Gwen was waiting for them to get back, looking extremely frazzled.

"_You_ take him," she said, thrusting Aithusa at Merlin. "He wouldn't leave me alone for a second, and he won't stop eating! Every time I turn around something else is in his mouth. Forget owing me one, Merlin, you owe me two new ribbons and a loaf of bread."

She marched off before Merlin could even reply. Instead, he shook his head at Aithusa.

"What am I meant to do with you?" he wondered.

Aithusa just stared silently up at him, saying nothing.

Merlin knew, he had to look after Aithusa. The dragon needed him. But – he couldn't do his job like this. How was he supposed to protect Arthur, help Camelot, build Albion, when he had to take care of a tiny dragon who ate everything and needed constant attention?

"And he doesn't even like me!" Merlin ranted to Gaius.

"I think you're being a little unfair," Gaius pointed out. "How could you tell?"

"No, it's true. Everyone else, he'll say their name. Arthur. Guinevere. Gaius."

Aithusa echoed each one.

"But not me. Go on – Merlin."

The dragon was silent.

"See! He just ignores me!"

Gaius shook his head.

"Merlin, caring for any young creature is going to be difficult. Aithusa is your responsibility."

"But he's not my only responsibility! I want to help him, Gaius, I do, but –" Merlin shook his head. "I can't handle it any more!"

Aithusa made a small whimpering noise. Merlin couldn't look at him.

"Well, what do you suggest as an alternative?"

"I don't know, I –" Merlin sighed. "I'll think about it in the morning. But I can't take another day like today. I just can't."

* * *

><p>It took another hour before Merlin could convince Aithusa to stay on his nest long enough to lie down and turn out the light. Merlin shut his eyes, and –<p>

There. A scratching sound. Aithusa was moving about again.

"Aithusa!" Merlin lit a candle. "Don't –"

Aithusa sat next to Merlin's bed, staring piteously up at him.

"Aithusa?" he echoed hopefully.

"Oh." Merlin picked the dragonlet up and put him on the bed. "What is it?"

But Aithusa seemed happier already, and within seconds he had curled up into a ball, already beginning to snore in that quiet, whistling way he had.

"Oh," Merlin repeated softly.

Then he snuffed out the candle, curled up next to the dragon, and finally got some rest.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile<em>:

Agravaine was late for his usual visit.

"I thought you were not coming," Morgana said, as she let him inside. "News?"

Morgana looked even paler than usual, and her eyes were wild with the frenzied madness she usually took pains to keep hidden.

"None urgent. Are you well?" Agravaine asked her, concerned.

"I am haunted," she whispered. "I cannot sleep. Emrys… I have to know who he is. How can it be that no-one has heard of him?"

"Morgana…" Agravaine shook his head. "How can you be sure? Your resources are limited. You live here in exile –"

"I am well aware of my status," she snapped.

"What I mean to say is – surely there is a better way of learning the truth?"

She paused.

"Go on."

"Emrys is a sorcerer," Agravaine explained. "There is no love for magic in Camelot, and for once, we can use that to our advantage."

"Rely on Arthur to find him?" Morgana scoffed.

"Use Arthur's own power against him," Agravaine countered. "Let him seek Emrys, and use what he has learned to our own advantage."

Morgana smiled. "He'll be playing right into our hands."

"This time tomorrow," Agravaine promised. "Every knight in Camelot will be searching for the sorcerer known as Emrys."


	4. Crisis

After a night of uninterrupted sleep, Merlin was in a much better mood.

"Morning, Gaius!" he greeted cheerfully over breakfast.

"Gaius!" Aithusa sounded just as bright.

"Feeling better about your responsibilities, I see?" Gaius raised an eyebrow.

"Don't know what you're talking about!" Merlin beamed. "Aithusa's no trouble. Watch – Aithusa, are you going to eat anything you shouldn't today?"

The dragonlet shook its head from side to side so vigorously that it staggered a little way across the table. In reward, Merlin tossed him a piece of bread, which he lunged for, missed, and rounded on before devouring.

"And if you're hungry, what are you going to do?"

Aithusa paused in his meal, tilted his head to the side, and made a chirping sound in the back of his throat.

"See? Sorted!"

"I'm not sure teaching him a trick will solve the problem, Merlin."

"It's not a trick!" Merlin insisted. "He does it all by himself – I think he really understands me. Look – are you a dragon?"

Aithusa bobbed his head up and down.

Gaius frowned, and peered closer at the dragonlet. "Do you know who I am?"

"Gaius!"

Gaius broke into a smile. "And do you know who this is?"

Aithusa nodded, but didn't speak.

Merlin's grin shrunk slightly. "Well, he still doesn't seem to know my name. But everything will be alright. We're communicating now, aren't we?"

"So it seems," Gaius admitted. "Just be careful you don't attract the wrong kind of attention."

"I always am!"

Gaius chuckled to himself as he headed out of the room, but something made him pause in the doorway. He glanced back at the table to see Merlin petting Aithusa gently behind the ears as the young dragon nuzzled into his arm, both wearing a soppy expression that Gaius knew Merlin would deny if ever questioned about.

Perhaps everything would be alright after all.

* * *

><p>True to his word, Aithusa behaved himself all morning, perhaps nibbling the occasional, particularly delicious looking, piece of clothing, but largely staying settled on Merlin's shoulder and causing little trouble.<p>

Until the council meeting.

"Your Majesty, we have received word that a dangerous sorcerer is loose in your lands."

The meeting had already dragged on for several centuries – or, by the clock, about half an hour – and Merlin had long since stopped paying attention, but the mention of a sorcerer brought his focus back to the present. Every time he crossed paths with another magic user, things seemed to end badly – either they faced death just for existing, or, on the off-chance they had done something worthy of punishment, they served only to further convince Arthur that magic was irrevocably evil and its users could not be tolerated.

Although, Merlin remembered, his own recent actions, however unwitting, had contributed to that belief a great deal more than he would have wished.

"What details do we have of this sorcerer?" Arthur asked, leaning forwards. He looked angry at the mere thought of magic, and guilt filled Merlin's stomach with lead.

Agravaine shook his head. "I am afraid that there is very little information, sire, only that this sorcerer is a grave threat to Camelot and your own person, and that he is known by the name of Emrys."

No.

Time seemed to slow to a standstill as Merlin tried to force his face to remain blank.

How could anyone know that name? No-one knew that name – well, okay, yes, lots of people knew that name, but no-one who would want Arthur to seek him out as a threat. Only other magic users – the Cailleach. The Druids…

A terrible thought struck Merlin. Morgana had lived with the Druids. Had she learned the truth about him? If Morgana knew he was a sorcerer, would she want Arthur to find out?

Yes. There was a time when they had been friends, but now – now, she would tell Arthur in a second.

But – why would she do it like this?

"Merlin! _Merlin_!"

The deafening roar of panic receded from Merlin's ears, and his eyes focussed again, on –

Arthur. Shouting.

"Merlin, can you keep that bloody bird _quiet_?"

_Both_ Arthurs shouting. On Merlin's shoulder, screeching so loud that the council members were wincing, was Aithusa.

"Emrys! Emrys! Emrys!"

* * *

><p>They were thrown out of the council meeting. Arthur didn't look pleased, but that was the least of Merlin's problems.<p>

"Emrys!"

"Shh!" he begged Aithusa. "Please, be quiet."

Aithusa tilted his head to the side. "Emrys?"

Merlin hurried back to Gaius' rooms – he needed advice, and Arthur wouldn't want him again until the meeting was over. The entire journey there, he was going over and over it in his head: Aithusa was smart, dragon smart, and probably already twice as magical as Merlin, and he didn't like to use nicknames –

Would anyone have noticed? Probably not – if they thought Aithusa was just a parrot, there was no reason to be suspicious. But, if every time someone said Merlin, Aithusa corrected them…

He was in so much trouble.

He walked into the empty room, shut the door behind him, and removed the enchantment from Aithusa, knowing that it would make communicating this easier.

"Emrys?" Aithusa asked him again, sounding confused by his behaviour.

"Yes," Merlin said. "Hello, Aithusa, I'm Emrys."

"Emrys!"

"But you can't call me that," Merlin told him.

The dragon tilted his head, looking utterly bewildered.

"It's a secret," Merlin said, wondering if the dragonlet even knew what a secret was. "You have to call me Merlin."

"Emrys?"

"_Merlin_."

The dragon fell silent for a second.

"Murrrleeeen."

Aithusa pulled a face, like the word itself tasted bad.

"I know," Merlin told him, rubbing the dragon behind the ears. "Lying isn't fun. But we have to. Otherwise both of us will be in danger."

"Merlin." The dragon coughed. "Merlin."

Then Aithusa fixed Merlin with a glare and began to chirp.

"Okay, okay, lunchtime!" Merlin promised, his heart finally slowing down.

Another day, another crisis averted.

* * *

><p>Morgana had one eyebrow raised as she opened the door.<p>

"Back already? Important news, I hope."

Agravaine smiled. "I am afraid Arthur has made little progress yet in seeking out Emrys, but I believe it may no longer matter."

"Really?"

"Are you familiar with Arthur's servant boy?"

Morgana scowled. "Merlin. Yes, we have met."

"He has recently come into possession of a talking bird, an exotic gift from a friend," Agravaine explained. "But when the name Emrys was mentioned in front of it, the bird echoed it incessantly."

"A bird." Morgana's expression darkened. "What use do I have for a bird?"

"A bird familiar with the name," Agravaine insisted. "I am certain of it. Merlin's friend knows something of this Emrys."

Morgana glared at him. "But you have no idea who that may be."

"What one friend knows, might not another?"

Morgana laughed. "You think _Merlin_ knows something? I assure you, Agravaine – that boy is as dimwitted as he is loyal to Arthur. If he knew anything of this Emrys, he would have come forward."

"Not if he has something to hide, especially about his friend." Morgana shook her head. "I beg you, at least consider it."

Morgana paused. "Perhaps it is worth trying to seek this friend of his. But I assure you – Merlin knows _nothing_ of Emrys."


	5. Revealed

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay between updates. Plot bunnies are hard to corral; plot dragonlets are something else altogether.

* * *

><p>Arthur didn't seem particularly pleased with Merlin the next day. But then, what else was new?<p>

"I can't believe you're dragging that stupid bird on a patrol," he grumbled. "Couldn't Gwen look after it again?"

"She says she's not giving Arthur another chance to ruin all her dresses," Merlin informed him brightly.

A couple of the knights chuckled, and Arthur glared at Merlin again. "Well then, why not Gaius?"

"Arthur eats everything! He won't leave off the cures."

Another round of muffled laughter.

Arthur rode closer to Merlin for a moment.

"You're doing that on purpose," he accused.

Merlin was. Especially since Aithusa had stopped eating inappropriately three days ago now, and Gaius would have been happy to take him, were it not for the fact that every time Merlin was out of his sight the dragonlet whined unendingly. Gaius couldn't stand the headache he got from the continuous noise, so Merlin kept Aithusa by his side at all times.

He was secretly glad of the excuse to.

And, of course, the chance to tease Arthur didn't hurt either.

"I can't help what he's named!" Merlin protested.

"_You_ named him!" Arthur countered loudly. "I swear Merlin, if that bird starts squawking and the bandits hear us coming, I'll –"

"Arthur!" Sir Leon hissed, suddenly serious. "I hear noises up ahead. Might be those bandits. Hadn't we better keep our voices down?"

"At least _one_ Arthur knows how to keep quiet on patrol," Merlin muttered, just loud enough for Arthur to hear him and glare at him again.

They rode on in silence, and Merlin began to grow nervous. He had fought bandits dozens of times before, but never before had he needed to protect a helpless dragonlet. Would he be able to keep Aithusa safe?

Perhaps he shouldn't have risked bringing him after all…

After a couple of minutes of silence, Gwaine finally broke the silence.

"Guess it must have been a deer or –"

Suddenly, a wave of bandits roared over the crest of the hill towards them.

"Or not," Gwaine said, as the knights quickly dismounted and drew their swords.

Merlin backed across the road, knowing that he'd be useless fighting hand to hand with the knights and he'd have a better view of potential threats requiring magical intervention if he stood back a little.

It was only when the hands seized him from behind that he realised his mistake, but he was already being dragged backwards into the trees.

"Get the bird!" A voice hissed.

"Argh!"

A sudden cry of pain signalled Merlin's release, and he scrambled to pull himself upright and face his attackers – two men, one of whom was nursing an injured hand.

"Forp fleoge!"

The two men flew backwards, stunned, and Merlin cast his eyes around for Aithusa.

The dragonlet crouched on the ground, growling at the two unconscious men. Merlin's eyes were drawn to the man's injury.

It was a burn.

"Merlin?"

It took Arthur's voice for Merlin to realise that Aithusa had transformed back into his natural form. He must have breathed fire…

"Over here!" he called, quickly replacing the illusion on Aithusa.

Merlin would have to deal with that later.

"No need to run away, Merlin, we beat them soon enou…"

Arthur trailed off as he came into sight and noticed the two men.

"What happened?"

"Uh, they attacked me?" Merlin tried to ignore the fact that he was unarmed and each of the men was about twice his size.

"Right…" Arthur, for once, seemed at a loss for words. "Good on you Merlin. I didn't think you had it in you."

Merlin hesitated, not sure what to say.

Arthur turned back towards the road.

"I knew watching me all day would do you good sooner or later. Come on, we'd better get this lot back to Camelot!"

* * *

><p>"They were unable to capture the boy."<p>

Morgana savoured the words, stretching out every inch of incredulity in those syllables.

Agravaine bit back the urge to point out that yes, he had just _said_ that.

"Your best men, you said," she continued. "And they could not manage to bring me one servant boy and his pet bird?"

"It may not matter any more –"

"How could it not matter?" she cut across his words.

That _is_ what I am trying to tell you, Agravaine thought. If you want to know so badly, it might help if you stopped interrupting me.

"One of the men escaped, and brought me some most interesting news," he explained.

"Escaped?" Morgana paused. "Where is this man? I should speak to him in person."

Agravaine hesitated for a second before answering.

"I am afraid he has already fled. He feared retribution from Arthur."

Not technically true, unless two villages over counted as fleeing. But the bandits' look-out was still a useful source, and Agravaine had learned the hard way not to introduce Morgana to anyone he might be able to make use of in future. Even if he was lucky, the man would likely leave such a meeting never wanting to speak to Agravaine again.

Agravaine tried not to think of what could happen if he was unlucky.

Morgana scowled. "So what did this man have to say for himself?"

"He claimed a most peculiar reason for their failure," Agravaine paused, trying to think how to phrase it. "He claimed that Merlin fought off his attackers with magic."

Morgana froze stock still, and for once, it seemed she was actually rendered speechless.

"He –" she stuttered. "He must have been lying. Trying to think of some excuse for his failure."

"Frankly, if he wanted to lie he could have invented a more believable one," Agravaine told her. "And he could correctly describe the casting and effects of a Stunning Spell, one which I have witnessed you use with my own eyes. I believe his tale is accurate."

Morgana blinked in incomprehension, staring right through him.

Agravaine was a little surprised by the strength of her reaction. He had been shocked to hear the look-out's tale, but the more he had thought of it, the more sense it made. He had heard a lot of strange tales in Camelot, and almost all of them seemed to feature the servant boy. He had thought Merlin unremarkable, but this news revealed a far more interesting picture, and, quite honestly, a more understandable one.

"But… Merlin is _loyal_… to _Arthur_." Her voice was full of disgust, and Agravine knew that she couldn't understand how someone with magic could stand a King who outlawed its practise.

Agravaine wasn't precisely sure if Morgana was talking to him, but he decided to answer anyway.

"Perhaps he seeks to change the King's views on magic gradually."

One thing he was certain of – Arthur could not know the truth about his servant. His hatred of magic was real, and any protection Merlin's magic might provide him must have been received unwittingly.

She had to see that they could _use_ this.

Suddenly, that smirk appeared, and Agravaine knew that Morgana had seen it.

"But Arthur can't know, can he?" she laughed. "And he trusts Merlin. Think what it would do to him to find out that his trusted servant has been using magic all along… He'd be simply _devastated_."

Morgana met his eyes, and her gaze was even more crazed than usual.

"You have to think of some way to force Merlin to use magic in front of Arthur," she commanded.

"What a brilliant idea," Agravaine told her.

He'd already begun to make plans.


	6. Safe

Merlin was running late.

Aithusa really had breathed fire the day before. Merlin knew for sure because he had done it again since, scorching the table at dinnertime. and setting alight to the cuprate in a blaze of cerulean.

He had spent half of this morning trying to explain to Aithusa that fire was _bad_ – the little dragon seemed entranced by flickering shape of the flames – and now he was late, and Arthur was going to be mad – although hopefully not as mad as he would have been if his breeches had gone up in smoke.

"I'm sorry!" he said as he opened the door. "I –"

Time froze.

Merlin stopped breathing.

Arthur lay still on the floor, foam at his mouth and a green tinge to his skin.

Poison.

Merlin rushed forward, pressing his fingers to Arthur's neck and feeling…

Nothing?

No.

No, there it was, a pulse, faint but still there.

Merlin muttered a spell, but there was no air in his lungs and the words were garbled nonsense. He forced himself to take a deep breath, and tried again.

"Ic pe purhhle pinu licsar."

Work, work, _please_ work…

He felt the spell take hold, moments before Arthur's back arched, drawing in a huge breath as the unnatural hue faded from his skin.

Merlin let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding, but his relief soon turned into worry. How was he going to be able to explain this?

* * *

><p>Arthur blinked his eyes open.<p>

"Merlin. Why am I on the floor?"

Speaking made his ribs ache, and the pain brought back the memory of what had happened before he passed out – feeling ill, shaking, seeing his skin turn pale and clammy. He hadn't been able to move or even call out. How was he still alive?

"Merlin!" The stupid bird squawked from the bedpost as Merlin placed a stopper in a bottle of something and put it in his bag.

"I was poisoned. What…?"

"You really shouldn't try to talk," Merlin told him. "You're lucky I came in when I did."

Arthur shut his eyes. Watching the room spin was a strange sensation while lying down.

"If you had arrived on time, I wouldn't have had to be lucky," he reminded his servant.

"But if I hadn't had to buy bezoar for Gaius, me being here would have made no difference whatsoever!"

Arthur looked at Merlin in surprise.

"First those bandits, now this. Keep this up and I might even be forced to think you aren't totally incompetent."

Arthur pushed himself up, in spite of Merlin's protests, to sit against the side of the bed. The sudden movement made him nauseous, but the change in position helped his dizziness a little.

"My breakfast was poisoned," he said, as if that wasn't already obvious. "That means…"

Merlin frowned. "It must have been someone inside of Camelot."

"Or someone who could sneak in undetected." Arthur's expression was stony. He could only think of one possible culprit. "We need to find this Emrys – and soon."

* * *

><p>"Poison?"<p>

Agravaine sighed and bit his tongue, because the alternative was saying something like 'no, only kidding, I set killer rabbits on him.'

"I know you're no simpleton, but what possessed you to try something like that? Even a sorcerer who wasn't apprenticed to the court physician would have no problem dealing with something as mundane as iocane powder!"

One of the rarest poisons in the world, iocane powder was not exactly mundane, and almost impossible for any physician to diagnose, let alone treat. And had it never occurred to Morgana that a sorcerer might be better equipped to deal with magical threats than with mundane ones?

"You should consider yourself fortunate this is only a minor setback. I have the perfect plan in mind."

Of course she does, Agravaine thought, and it's going to be overcomplicated and involve highly unusual magic and she will be completely surprised by the fact that no-one else understands it except the sorcerer she hoped would be confounded by it.

But no. The logical approach had failed once, and would be forever dismissed. Never mind that magic had failed for times than he cared to count…

She was lucky that Agravaine had his own way of doing things. And if he was lucky, she would never realise.

* * *

><p>"And leave that bird here!"<p>

Gaius looked up as Merlin stormed in, still fuming.

"Arthur has decided he wants to go hunting. Alone." He grumbled. "Which of course means with me, because its not like Arthur could actually cope without anyone to boss around. But he's refusing point blank to let me take Aithusa."

"I'm sure the world won't end if I watch over him for one night," Gaius reassured him.

Aithusa squeaked, and nuzzled Merlin's arm. The boy's face softened.

"I know," he said. "I don't want to either. But the King has commanded it."

Aithusa rumpled up his face into a disgusted expression. Merlin couldn't agree more.

"Just stay here with Gaius," Merlin asked him. "You'll be safe here. I'll be back before you know it."

Aithusa nudged Merlin once more, then walked across the table.

"Gaius?"

"Just for one night," Merlin promised the dragon. "And you'd better behave while I'm gone!"

* * *

><p>"First we'll head towards the ridge…"<p>

Merlin wasn't really listening to Arthur's plans. His momentary worry for the King after his most recent brush with death had vanished completely in the week since the poisoning. Instead, his concern was once more devoted to the growing dragonlet – would he be safe, would he be happy, would he finally last a week without Merlin making an emergency trip to the apothecary?

"…although perhaps we would be better off heading towards the hills…"

Merlin was startled out of his own thoughts by a splash of colour on the forest floor. He squinted at it, and made out the outline of a – a snake, huge and red, and heading straight for Arthur's horse!

"…or maybe past the river?…"

A couple of metres ahead, Arthur was totally oblivious, still plotting out the route for their trip.

"Swelt deor."

"…and back past the – did you say something?"

"No."

"…back past the cave."

The snake lay dead on the floor, completely unnoticed by the King.

Merlin rolled his eyes. What would Arthur do without him?

The pair rode on, and the basilisk slowly dissolved back into the shadows Morgana had summoned it from.

* * *

><p>By the time they set up camp for the evening, Merlin was bored, tired and fretful – an unpleasant combination at any time, but when faced with another day of the same, one that was near unbearable.<p>

Arthur looked up from his stew.

"Oh, cheer up Merlin. It might never happen."

"What, being stuck in the forest overnight with the most annoying person in Camelot?"

Arthur smirked. "Oh, so it's _my_ problems you're worried about."

Merlin was still laughing when it happened.

An arrow shot towards them out of the dark straight for Arthur's chest, and it was too close already and moving too fast and there was no getting out of the way, there was just throwing up his hands and –

The arrow dropped to the floor, and the ghost of a laugh echoed through the woods as the smiles disappeared and the two friends stared at each other in utter silence.

Nearby, a man formerly employed as lookout by a bandit group snatched up his bow and headed for home, pleased to be able to report this mission as an absolute success.


	7. Confessed

Agravaine paced his room impatiently. It was after midnight. The mercenary should have sent word by now. Had something gone wrong?

A knock on the door took the tension out of his shoulders. When he opened it, a loyal servant handed him a note – direct delivery from the back entrance to the castle.

"Success."

He smiled. Tomorrow, Emrys would be out of Camelot for good.

* * *

><p>Neither man spoke.<p>

Slowly, Merlin lowered the arm he had thrown up. He could not take his eyes off of Arthur's face. He had thought he knew everything there was to know about the King of Camelot, but this expression was one he had no idea how to read.

A long minute stretched on in silence as Arthur looked from Merlin to the arrow and back again.

"Say something," Merlin said.

For the first time, Arthur met his gaze.

"You used magic."

"Right." Merlin glanced away. "Saved your life with it, in fact." His eyes fell on the arrow, and he snatched it off the ground to pass to Arthur.

Arthur didn't take it. "That's against the law."

"Saving the King's life? Too bad." Merlin tried for a smile, but his heart wasn't in it. "It isn't the first time."

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated.

Merlin knew his friend had to be rethinking everything, every close scrape and mysterious event, so many he had long since lost count of them. He wondered what exactly Arthur was recalling, although he had a fair few guesses.

"Why didn't you try to save him?"

"I did." Merlin's response was out of his mouth before Arthur had even finished asking. "I went into the middle of nowhere and disguised myself as that old sorcerer and I tried _everything_ _I_ _could_ to help him and it wasn't enough and –" his breath caught, but he pressed on – "and Gaius found a hidden amulet, which turned the healing spell against him, and I didn't _know_. I'm sorry."

Arthur still hadn't moved. "You were the sorcerer. You... tried to help him. With magic."

"Of course I did." Merlin sighed. "I'm not a fighter, I can't handle a sword or throw a punch, but I can do magic. It's what I do, it always has been. It's the only way I know to make a difference, and I'm not going to stop doing it. Not as long as I can help save Camelot, save _your_ life with magic. If you want to punish me for that, go ahead, but it'll have to be execution because I'm not going into exile and leaving Camelot in danger!"

The arrow slipped through his fingers, and fell to the ground with a clatter.

Arthur bent to pick it up, examining it.

"Merlin, you just confessed to breaking the law of the land and committed about half a dozen kinds of treason while you were at it. Who else knows about this? Gaius?"

"He's always known," Merlin admitted. "Apart from that, Lancelot found out, but..."

Arthur looked at him, and smiled.

"I'm amazed. Clearly you aren't as stupid as you look, although I suppose the ability to talk should have tipped me off there."

Merlin stared at him in amazement. He didn't know what reaction he'd expected – he thought he'd pictured all of them – but this wasn't it.

"Since there are clearly some mitigating factors involved, I think this matter should remain... private, for the time being. It seems there might be some disadvantages to the law, leaving Camelot undefended against magical attacks, and..."

Arthur trailed off, and glared at Merlin.

"There's no need to grin _quite_ so much," he said sharply, but Merlin couldn't keep a straight face. "I don't suppose there's any other secrets you've been keeping?"

"Well, you're destined to reunite Albion and I'm destined to help."

"Okay."

"And I'm Emrys – that's what the druids call me – but I'm not trying to kill you."

"Obviously."

"And I'm keeping a baby dragon in my room."

"You _what_?"


	8. Free

It might have been an unsightly early hour of the morning when they returned to Camelot, but Merlin couldn't keep a broad grin off his face.

"You're back early," Gaius remarked with a yawn when Merlin walked into the room. "I see I'm not the only one greeting the sunrise today. Although I am the only one who isn't happy about it. What's gotten into you?"

"I told him!" Merlin couldn't help but share the news.

"What?"

"I told Arthur," Merlin repeated. "You know..."

"You...?" Gaius's eyes grew wide. "What did he say?"

"Well, I'm still here, aren't I?" Merlin couldn't help himself. He grabbed Gaius in a huge hug. "He knows and he doesn't hate me. I can't believe it!"

"Nor can I." Gaius smiled at him. "It's about time! But why tell him now?"

"Well..."

Merlin's explanation was cut short by a loud creak as the door to his room opened a crack, revealing an eager white dragonlet.

"Merlin?"

Before Merlin could respond, Aithusa launched himself forward, leaping high into the air – and then unfurling his wings, and swooping into Merlin's chest.

Stunned, Merlin caught the dragon, who proceeded to scamper excitedly over his shoulders.

"I missed you too, Aithusa." Merlin said quietly, stroking his hello. "But it looks like it might be time for you to go."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean, he's still in Camelot?"<p>

Agravaine reminded himself not to roll his eyes.

"I mean that, in spite of our best efforts, Merlin and Arthur have returned safely to Camelot and seem to be perfectly content in each others company."

"But I thought my basilisk was certain to defeat him. Curse it, how does that boy keep thwarting my plans?"

Perhaps _magic_? Agravaine wondered.

"My lady, I am quite certain that Arthur must have witnessed something. Perhaps we should consider the possibility that Arthur is already aware of Merlin's abilities."

"Arthur could not stand to let a warlock so close to him," Morgana scoffed. "No, we must try again. I have a spell that..."

"I am quite certain of it," Agravaine interrupted, "because I had them followed. Arthur knows."

Morgana froze for a moment, speechless.

"You had them followed? You could have ruined everything! You –" She paused again. "Arthur knows? That hypocrite!"

"A loyal associate assures me that Arthur witnessed Merlin saving his life through magic. If Arthur did not know before, he does now. We must accept this fact, and plan our next move accordingly."

Morgana was not listening. "How could he do that? How could Merlin stay with him? They –"

"We must plan our reaction to this news," Agravaine repeated. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Of course not!" Morgana glared at him. "This is unprecedented! How am I supposed to just _react_ to this?"

"Well, that's really how reactions _work_."

It was only Morgana's shocked expression which made him realise he had spoken aloud, but Agravaine felt no inclination to stop.

"But I suppose how you _should_ react to it is independently, or rather in company which shares your aims. I hold no particular love for my nephew, but it was his father I despised. Uther is dead, and my sister's son wears his crown well. I have no desire to see him replaced by a foolish child."

Morgana stared at him, her mouth open.

"I will not reveal your secrets, but I am afraid from this day you must consider our allegiance terminated. Farewell, Morgana."

Agravaine bowed smartly, and left before Morgana could react.

When he was finally out of sight of her cottage, he couldn't help but smile. He should have done that long ago. She would come after him, of course, but he was no fool, and he knew her methods. He would survive.

Now, he was free to go after Arthur any way he wanted.

The young King wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *

><p>The moon shone brightly in the forest.<p>

"I can't believe we could just walk right out of the castle! What am I paying those guards for?"

"Keep it down!" Merlin told him. "Someone might hear us!"

"I _know_ how to sneak out at night, thank you Merlin." Arthur told him, still too loudly.

"You wouldn't know stealth if it crept up and bit you on the a-"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Arthur was suddenly serious. "I mean, a dragon?"

"Aithusa!" The dragonlet was still in his bird disguise, but not for much longer.

"He can't stay in Camelot forever," Merlin reminded Arthur. "He knows us now, but he's big enough to survive on his own."

Kilgharrah was waiting not far away, but –

"The last dragon alive in the world..." Arthur sounded as wistful as he did nervous. "Don't you think we should keep an eye on it?"

Some secrets could wait a little longer. After all, there was time.

"Humans raised him," Merlin reminded him. "What reason does he have to hate us?"

Arthur frowned.

"This will do," Merlin said quickly, eager to end this trail of thought. "Aithusa?"

The dragon removed the illusion of it's own accord, and for a moment Arthur had nothing at all to say.

"Impressed?" Merlin asked.

Arthur glared at him. "It is a _dragon_, Merlin. I didn't realise this was an everyday occurrence."

Merlin smiled, and turned to Aithusa.

"It's time for you to go now." He hugged the dragon gently. Aithusa was already bigger and heavier than he had once been, but at the same time he seemed so small.

Aithusa nuzzled against Merlin's neck. "Emrys..."

"Just like I told you," Merlin told the dragonlet. "And I'll see you again soon, I promise."

He set the dragon gently on the ground.

Aithusa gave the boys one last, longing look, before launching himself into the night and disappearing as a silvery blur among the trees.

Merlin bit his lip as he watched the dragon go, and was shocked to feel a hand in his. He turned, and met Arthur's eyes.

"Merlin," Arthur said softly.

"Yes?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you're such a girl sometimes. Now let's get back before the guards realise we're missing."

"So, no hurry then?"

"Merlin!"

Merlin smiled, and, as a white dragon soared through the skies, he and his friend made their way slowly back towards Camelot.


End file.
